Is there a beast on the island? Not really. The boys create all sorts of monsters in their fearful imaginations. For a while, there is a dead airman in the trees that the boys truly believe is a beast, but Simon is probably closest to the truth when he says, “ ‘ maybe it’s only us” ‘ (Chapter 5).
Discuss the following questions in pairs.
a) What emotions do the boys feel as they kill the sow? b) Why might it have been unwise to kill this particular pig? c) At what other times do Jack and Roger show their violent sides?
Now read the passage again and underline key words and phrases that describe the violence and the horror of the kill. Make a list of synonyms for the words you have identified (use a thesaurus if you need to)
What does the passage reveal about the following?:
Sexual instincts
Hunting
Violence
Control
Fear
Ritual
How does the passage relate to other hunts that have taken place in the novel? What are the similarities and differences?
What does this passage reveal about the personalities of the following characters?:
Jack
Roger
Passage:
Here, struck down with the heat, the sow fell and the hunters hurled themselves at her. This dreadful eruption from an unknown world made her frantic; she squealed and bucked and the air was full of sweat and noise and blood and terror. Roger ran round the heap, prodding with his spear whenever pigflesh appeared. Jack was on top of the sow, stabbing downward with his knife. Roger found a lodgment for his point and began to push till he was leaning with his whole weight. The spear moved forward inch by inch and the terrified squealing became a high-pitched scream. Then Jack found the throat and the hot blood spouted over his hands. The sow collapsed under them and they were heavy and fulfilled upon her. The butterflies still danced, preoccupied in the centre of the clearing. At last the immediacy of the kill subsided. The boys drew back, and Jack stood up, holding out his hands. `Look.' He giggled and flinked them while the boys laughed at his reeking palms. Then Jack grabbed Maurice and rubbed the stuff over his cheeks. Roger began to withdraw his spear and the boys noticed it for the first time. Robert stabilized the thing in a phrase which was received uproariously. `Right up her ass!' `Did you hear?' `Did you hear what he said?' `Right up her ass!' This time Robert and Maurice acted the two parts; and Maurice's acting of the pig's efforts to avoid the advancing spear was so funny that the boys cried with laughter.
- Discuss the following questions in pairs.
a) What emotions do the boys feel as they kill the sow?b) Why might it have been unwise to kill this particular pig?
c) At what other times do Jack and Roger show their violent sides?
Passage:
At last the immediacy of the kill subsided. The boys drew back, and Jack stood up, holding out his hands.
`Look.'
He giggled and flinked them while the boys laughed at his reeking palms. Then Jack grabbed Maurice and rubbed the stuff over his cheeks. Roger began to withdraw his spear and the boys noticed it for the first time. Robert stabilized the thing in a phrase which was received uproariously.
`Right up her ass!' `Did you hear?'
`Did you hear what he said?' `Right up her ass!'
This time Robert and Maurice acted the two parts; and Maurice's acting of the pig's efforts to avoid the advancing spear was so funny that the boys cried with laughter.